Comorbid Diabetes Increases Risk of Listeria

Patients with cancer and comorbid type 2 diabetes have 5 times the risk of contracting listeria, a rare bacterial illness caused by eating contaminated food. High-risk foods include lunch meats, soft cheeses (eg, brie, camembert), smoked fish, pate, unpasteurized milk and cheeses, and prepackaged sandwiches or refrigerated cooked meals. England's Health Protection Agency reviewed 1413 listeria cases and found that one-third of the patients had a malignancy; 41% of patients with cancer who developed listeria had a hematologic disease. The researchers advised clinicians to have their patients avoid foods at high risk for listeria.

The study was published in Emerging Infectious Diseases.